Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-08
A GRACEFUL AND STRONG TRIBUTE.
The Death of Henry Ward Beecher.

A GRACEFUL AND STRONG TRIBUTE,
The Death OF Henr, Ward Beecher.
The death of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
adds an illustTi0uS name Ia the neurology
of 1857. To the Older persons of the pres
ent generation Mr.. Beecher's name is aSso-
riated with the stirring events of the anti
slavery struggle and of our civil war: but
u the younger of this generation he is
/ known more particularly as a preacher.
/ lecturer and writer. In any of these pur-
suits he has done as much as could reason
ably be expected of any man: and yet he
preserved to the very last his wonderful ia
cilities. versatility of talent and originality
! of expression. Gifted with remark bic
! hereditary influences. and with mental and
/ physical powers of endurance that were
| absolutely marvellous. he has been for con-
| Siderabiy more than a quarter of a century
a prominent feature in American life.
As seen in his own pulpit in Plymouth
church. Brooklyn, the central figure amid
modest and unnstentatious surroundings. he
/ presented spectacle of an almost adored
! preacher. giving forth fresh and varied
| thoughts at each discourse, and vet in
] tildtllltf 81 tlultl- VI
rhetorical flourish. that his words seldom
rose above a melodious conversational tone.
Asa preacher Mr.. Beecher was not
ranter. nor one who depended upon orator
zeal fireworks To impress his hearers. New
ertheless, an inattentiye or Indifferent hear
er was never found in his congregation.
lie considered the entire field of thought,
feeling and experience as legitimate
source of supply of material for his ser
mons. which were always eNtempOrary in
delivery. but evidently well digested in
thought.
Not only his ability 10 recall and utilize
the results of his study and observation. but
the time which such studies must have con
Sumed. and the powers of mental and phys
ical endurance required 10 compass them.
never failed 10 be a source of wonderment
- every one who gave the matter reflection.
With the exception of a short summer yaca-
ton each year. Mr.. Beecher almost invaria-
biy hlled his own pulpit. He would dash
off TO some remote city and deliye. one of
his fascinating lectures. and be found al
his post as usual the next Sunday. with un-
impaired vigur and fresh thought. He
could write vouninouS books. innumerable
contributions TO newspapers. and serial
stories SO satisfactory 10 publishers that
they frequently Overpaid him many thou
sands of dollars for his literary work, and
yet keep on Sunday preaching and weekday
lecturing. apparently without physical ia
tigue. and certainly with little or no abate-
ment of intellectual force.
When the distressing complications into
which he fell some years ago were made
public. the people said: Surely here is some
thing that will break down this remarkable
man. Aspiring statesmen and ambitious
pr liticianS have sunk into dependency. |
and even 10 death, at reverSeS not one |
hundredth part as depressing as the diff |
cIilties which encOmpaSsed Mr.. Beecher. !
At all events. many eminent men have /
found their private life embttered and /
their public career paralyzed by troubles |
less overwhelming than those OF the great /
Brooklyn preacher. Amid them all Mr.. |
Beecher continued in his work unobstructed |
and apparently unaffected. so far As the |
affections and following of his immediate !
charge were concerned. Whatever 1
may be the opinion of indi-
viduals. or the verdict of history /
in reference TO the matter Just |
referred to. it remains a fact, that while
Mr.. Beecher pursued the even tenor of his
way, and maintained his religious and in
ieilectual activity and his position in socie-
ty. those who were the most prominent in
the attack made upon him have dropped
into almost absolute ObScurity.
The mental strength and personal activ-
ty of Mr.. Beecher can be denied by none.
His sentiments. particularly those of his
earlier years. are an integral part of Amer
lean literature. His earnest labors in the
movement will never be for
gotten. His later theological views will be
rt.at SlN~v .i..I l,~t
thize with them and by those who do not:
but no one can erase his illustriOuS name
from American history.
What will be the future OF Plymouth
church now that its great head and leader
is dead. no one can even conjecture. Dur
ing his life time Plymouth church was
Beecher. Can any man be found 10 take
his place? This must be a problem of
great perPleNity to the directing powers of
that organization. The query suggests a
thought which they have never even al
lowed themselves to mOmentarily enter
tain. While the interests of |
a church organization should be- I
and are, paramount 10 the personality
Of any one man. yet. in this case. the or
yanization has been built up around the
person of its preacher: has been sustained I
IN its interest by his remarkable powers: :
has clung to him through vicissitudeS which
would have seemed to destroy forever the .
-eligiouS leadership # any man. and its ;
must now feel that the sole ,
human foundation of its existence has been
forever taken away. .
The death of Mr.. Beecher will prob Ibly
make public many personal "reminiscences y.
If those personally associated with him in .. .
lis life work, and will draw from many
sources eulogies and candid comment of his :
character and work, which can not fail to
lfford topics of interest for some time To.
,Ome. II is understood that the materials A.,
or an autobiography had already been a
compiled ready for publication, and was
oon to have been published. These, no
ioubt, will be given 10 the world in due /
ime. and may furnish clue TO a fuller L
OF his methods of work, the
,aTiouS exercises of his mind, and give
Ome insight into hitherto unknown prob |
ems of his career. {. 5. X.